


With Death Comes Realizations and Confessions

by Avrilsky



Series: A Druid and Her Ranger [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bit of Fluff, F/F, I love their friendship as much as I love Vex'leth, Keyleth and Vax friendship, Sorta Canon, Temporary Character Death, Vax and Keyleth comforting each other, episode 44 spoilers, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-19 17:52:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17606075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avrilsky/pseuds/Avrilsky
Summary: “The fuck happened?“Keyleth looked up to see Vax pushing passed Grog and Kashaw, dropping to his knee in front of her.On instinct Keyleth pulled Vex in closer to protect her but Vax's eyes were already starting to water and she knew she couldn't keep him from his sister.With one final kiss to Vex's forehead and a whisper of “I'm sorry I didn't protect you.”, Keyleth loosened her hold on Vex allowing Vax to take her.Or a rewrite of the events of the Raven Queen's tomb.





	With Death Comes Realizations and Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> This ship has taken over my life. Like I love them so fucking much. You guys are more than welcome to send me some prompts for these two.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy!

Keyleth was just finishing up harvesting what she could from the Beholder Zahra had just obliterated when all hell broke loose.

There was a deafening wave of sound that seemed to fill the tomb they were in followed by an eerie silence that made the hairs along Keyleth's forearms stand on end.

She twisted her body to look behind her, Beholder eye stock still in her grasp, hoping to see that Vex and Percy managed to successfully set a trap off without anyone getting hurt.

Instead she saw Vex falling from the steps of the sarcophagus  in what seemed like slow motion. Even from halfway across the tomb Keyleth could see that Vex's already pale skin had turned an unnatural shade of white.

_ “Vex!” _

The single word seemed to echo around the room in an agonized wail that caused the rest of the party to flinch and it had taken Keyleth a moment to realize that the sound of come from her. Before she could really process what was happening, she was halfway across the room, shoving passed a stunned and unmoving Percy and dropping to her knees on the stone stairs barely registering the pain, not caring about the fact that they'll be bruised later.

“No. No. No. No. No.” Keyleth repeated the word over and over again, pulling Vex into her lap and brushing the hair from her eyes, ignoring the blackish Beholder blood her fingers left across her forehead.

Vex's hazel eyes are wide open staring at the stone ceiling, unblinking and unseeing. The usual movement of Vex's chest when she draws a breath - a movement that would calm Keyleth when she was having a panic attack and Vex helped her get her breathing under control, still and unmoving. The warmth of her skin - that always reminded Keyleth of the first rays of sunlight in the morning, gone and replaced by the chill of death. And though there was no blood, no physical wound Keyleth could see she knew Vex was gone.

Tears blurred Keyleth's vision, a few sliding down her cheeks and falling onto Vex as she reached out and gently closed Vex's eyes, unable to handle those hazel eyes staring at her, once filled with such life, light and mischief, now void of it all.

She bent forward, kissing Vex's forehead before resting her own against it, a fresh wave of tears spilling down her cheeks.

“Don't go, Vex'ahlia. You can't leave Vax. You can't leave us, _me._ _Please_.”

There was a loud whine from Trinket as he pushed his way towards Vex and Keyleth. He nudged repeatedly at Vex's hand, a distressed, heartbreaking grunt echoing in Keyleth's ears when Vex didn't move to pet him. Trinket laid his head in Vex's lap, whining low in the back of his throat.

Keyleth pulled Vex's body in closer, casting  _ cure wounds  _ and channeling every ounce of magic she possessed into it. The warmth of her magic surged within her before flowing into Vex, chasing away the coldness of death that had settled in before vanishing as the cold took hold once more.

A sob escaped Keyleth's throat as she cast  _ cure wounds _ again and again, unwilling to give up even though each spell ended with the exact same results.

She could barely get the words of the spell out as the seconds passed, her sobs heavier now as her conversation with Vax from the night before echoed in her head.

* * *

_ Keyleth stood at the lake's edge, arms wrapped around her middle as she stared out at the frozen ice and the blanket of snow that covered it, not really taking any of it in. Her mind elsewhere. _

_ Dragons. Dragons had been the only thing on her mind. _

_ Ancient dragons that destroyed Emon and Westruun and countless other places and they, Vox Machina had been powerless to stop it, to save people's lives. Hell, they barely managed to save the people fleeing to Greyskull Keep for safety. _

_ Every time she closed her eyes she saw the people of Emon freezing instantly before shattering in front of their eyes. Her dreams were plagued with the destruction of Emon, of the place they called home. _

_ The sound of boots on snow pulled her from her thoughts but she didn't turn to see who had approached, she already knew. _

_ Vax. He was easily the stealthiest of their group but he always made a point to make a noise whenever he came up behind her, so not startle her. _

_ It had sort of become their routine. Whenever Keyleth was lost in her own head, whenever she was worried about the aramente or whenever she worried that what they were doing was the right thing Vax would always be there to get her out of her own head even if just for a little while. _

_ He knew when she needed someone to talk to, when she didn't want to be alone, but he also knew when to back off, when to give her space without her ever having to utter a word. _

_ Within the span of time between their defeat of the Briarwoods, her and Vax's kiss, and the attack of the Chroma Conclave they had become extremely close. Almost nearly as close him and Vex. _

_ Despite his feelings towards her, Vax seemed to be all for her telling Vex how she felt. He seemed all for them being together. _

_ At first it had perplexed Keyleth, but she soon realized that Vax was the type of guy that would rather see his twin happy, rather see her happy than himself. Vax had placed her happiness before his own and asked for nothing more than for Keyleth to be truthful about her feelings for Vex and find the happiness he thought she deserved. _

_ Vax was one of the greatest men she'd ever known. One of the best friends she's ever had and she didn't know how she'd ever cope if she ever lost him. _

_ “It's cold, you should come back to the fire.” Vax said stopping next to her. _

_ Keyleth just shrugged her shoulders. The cold never really bothered her that much and besides she was wrapped in one of the fur coats they kept in the bag of holding. _

_ In truth she really didn't want to be around everyone at the moment. Her thoughts were running wild and putting her in a less than sociable mood and she didn't want to bring anyone down with her. _

_ Vax though hardly ever seemed affected by her moods and was the only one she could vent to without being told to get over it or having her thoughts, her worries, her fears brushed aside as if they were nothing. _

_ Don't get her wrong, she loved their little group, their little family but sometimes she felt like they didn't really understand her. _

_ An arm wrapped around her shoulders and Vex's cloak with it, adding an extra layer of warmth as he pulled her into a hug. _

_ “We'll defeat the dragons, Keyleth, and we'll save as many people as we can, but if you let this guilt and the weight of people's lives eat away at you it will destroy you and you'll be no good to anyone.” _

_ Keyleth didn't say anything just turned and wrapped her arms around him in a full on hug. Finding some comfort in his embrace. The couple inches she had on him making it easy to rest her chin on his head. _

_ She knew he was right and it's not like she wanted to let everything eat away with her but she couldn't help it. Her brain wouldn't let go of the thoughts of dragons and innocent people being killed. She couldn't stop thinking of the people that were probably dying at the hands of the dragons right now while they made camp for the night. _

_ Vax rubbed soothing circles on her back, not as all fazed by the fact that Keyleth was basically cradling him. _

_ It was quite for a few moments before Vax pulled away to look Keyleth in the eyes. _

_ “You heard Allura back in Emon, this was set in motion years before we became Vox Machina. It is not our doing, it is not our fault. But we are the only ones who can stop it.” _

_ Maybe he was right. Maybe Allura was right but that didn't stop her overthinking and it didn't stop the what ifs from running wild in her mind. _

_ “What if we fail? What if we're not strong enough? What if one of us dies? What if we all die?” _

_ Vax held his hand up effectively stopping her rambling from spiraling any further. _

_ “We live a dangerous life,” he said patiently. His voice no more than a whisper. “We walked a dangerous path before the Chroma Conclave appeared and chances are we'll live a dangerous life after they are gone.” _

_ He tucked some hair behind her ear, careful to avoid her circlet. _

_ “We live dangerous life,” he repeated. “Our lives are short because of it and you can't spend every second worrying about every little thing, you can't spend it blaming yourself for things that aren't in your control. We have to live our lives to the fullest, Kiki. We have to siege every opportunity for happiness.” _

_ Keyleth shook her head and took a couple of steps away from him. Leave it to Vax to weave her telling Vex she loved her into whatever conversation they were having. _

_ He meant well, really he did, but sometimes he didn't know when to give up or let things go. _

_ She knew he wanted her to be happy, but there was no guarantee that telling Vex she has loved her for so long would actually make her happy. _

_ For all she knew Vex didn't feel the same and telling her could ruin their friendship, ruin the group's dynamic and with dragons roaming the world that wasn't a risk she could take. _

_ “I know you're worried about the group, but for once in your life please think of yourself, Keyleth. You or Vex could die without you ever telling her, without you ever knowing what could have been and you don't want to live with that regret.” _

_ The thought of Vex dying spiked fear within her and filled her with the need to go find Vex and make sure she was okay even though she knew Vex wasn't in any danger at the moment. _

_ “She's not dying!” There was a protective fierceness to her words as if she'd gladly die before seeing Vex come to any harm. “Not today, not tomorrow, not as long as I'm alive to protect her.” _

_ Vax smiled at her, patting her check with affection before growing serious once more and opening his mouth to speak. _

_ Vax was a man of few words yet when it came to talking about Keyleth and her feelings for Vex, he seemed to never run out of things to say. _

_ “Life is short and anything can happen to any of us at any time. Take a chance, Keyleth and tell her how you feel before that chance is stolen from you.” There was a desperation in his voice, in his eyes. _

_ Maybe he was right. She didn't want to live her life regretting never telling Vex how she feels. She wanted her life wondering what could have been if she had just been brave enough. She didn't want what ifs haunting her. _

_ If her and Vax could get past her not returning his feelings then surely she and Vex could do the same. And then she would know. Then she could move on or be with Vex. _

_ “Okay.” She nodded at him, making up her mind. “Tomorrow. I'll let her tomorrow, after we're done searching the tomb.” _

_ His hand came to rest on her shoulder, squeezing. “Dont wait, Kiki.” _

_ “Tomorrow,” she repeated, swallowing down her fear. _

_ She's terrified, but she's going to take the chance. She's going to take a leap of faith and hope Vex catches her before she hits the ground. _

_ Tomorrow. Tomorrow her life will change. _

* * *

Vax had been right. She should have told Vex how she felt last night. She shouldn't have waited. She should have let Vex know how  _ loved _ she was.

But she thought she had time and put it off and now she was cradling Vex's lifeless body in her arms.

Another sob shocked her frame, but she was not crying because she has lost Vex, because she will never know if Vex felt the same, because she has lost her one chance at happiness.

No. She was crying because Vax has lost a sister, a best friend. Because Trinket has lost his master, his home. Because their family had lost one of its members, an important member. Because Vex will never get the chance to live a long happy life like she deserved. Because Vex will never know how extraordinary she was. Because Vex will never get to feel loved.

“The  _ fuck _ happened?“

Keyleth looked up to see Vax pushing passed Grog and Kashaw, dropping to his knee in front of her.

On instinct Keyleth pulled Vex in closer to protect her but Vax's eyes were already starting to water and she knew she couldn't keep him from his sister.

With one final kiss to Vex's forehead and a whisper of  _ “I'm sorry I didn't protect you.”, _ Keyleth loosened her hold on Vex allowing Vax to take her.

“Come on, Stumpy wake up,” Vax said, pulling a potion of healing out and holding it to his sister's lips. “Stop playing around.”

Keyleth wanted to tell him it wouldn't work, that she had already tried healing her several times with no effect, but part of her knew Vax needed to do this, needed to try everything to save her.

He used to lip of the bottle to open Vex's mouth, tipping the bottle up just enough to pour the liquid into her mouth.

The glimmering red liquid pooled it her mouth before spilling out the corners, staining her pale skin red and having no effect once so ever.

“Vex'ahlia, please,” Vax begged, tossing the potion somewhere behind him then using his cloak the wipe her face as clean as possible.

“What happened?” Vax asked her, his hazel eyes full of tears and wide with desperation and Keyleth could only shake her head.

She only had a suspicion of what happened, she couldn't tell him for certain.

“I… I opened the sarcophagus without letting Vex check for traps and some kind of trap, some thunderous wave went off and Vex wasn't able to get out of the way in time.”

Both she and Vax turned to look up at a guilt ridden Percy and in that moment, Keyleth hated him for being so careless, so thoughtless, so damn reckless.

She hated him and she hated herself for it.

“Kashaw, can you revive her?” Vax question, his voice edging on desperation and despair.

Keyleth looked behind her at the cleric, forgetting momentarily that he was there and could possibly bring Vex back.

Kashaw nodded his head yes, coming to kneel down next to the twins, instructing Vax to lay her down and back away.

He pulled a cluster of diamonds from the leather pouch at his side and scattered a few along her chest and around her body. He clutched at the holy symbol he wore around his neck, a look of hesitation crossing his features.

“What are you hesitating for?” Vax asked, his grief and fear twisting and coming out as anger. “Do it. Whatever the fuck you're going to do, do it.”

Keyleth moved behind him, wrapping her arms around him and holding him back so Kashaw could work.

Vax didn't fight her, instead he leaned heavily against her as his body shook with silent sobs.

“She could destroy everything.” Kashaw warned them, but it fell on deaf ears.

“It doesn't matter.” Keyleth found herself saying and as soon as the words were out, she realized they were true. “Bring her back,  _ please. _ ”

He stared at her for a moment that felt like a lifetime, but was barely a few seconds. His look of hesitation slowly morphing into understanding as he stared at her.

“You're running out of time, Kash!” She yelled at him, unable to keep from doing so. Later she'll apologize for doing so but now all that mattered was saving Vex.

Kash nodded at her, regripping his symbol and closing his eyes.

They all watched with wide eyes as the cuts along his forearm began to glow with a deep red crimson energy, so unlike the white light of Sarenrae Pike healed with.

He opened his eyes to reveal black pools as dark energy pulsed around him.

Keyleth shared an uneasy look with the rest of the group and for a moment, a split second she wondered if they are doing the right thing.

If Kashaw succeeds in bringing Vex back, will it be their Vex? Or will the dark magic, dark energy from Kashaw's Goddess corrupt her? Did it really matter as long as she was alive?

The dark energy that pulsed around Kashaw, drifted off swirling around one of the diamonds before touching, causing the diamond to shatter before the energy disappeared into Vex's body.

Vex's back arched unnaturally, her arms hanging limp at her side, her head lolled to the side, staying that way as Kashaw continued the ritual.

Zahra pulled the stone from her staff, mumbling a few words before placing it between Kashaw and Vex.

The moonstone began to glow a dull white, intermingling with the dark energy flowing between Kashaw and Vex, creating a strange grey swirl that seemed to wrap around both Vex and Kashaw.

Keyleth squeezed Vax tightly one last time before letting go and moving to Vex to assist in the ritual.

“Can I touch her?” She asked Kashaw, sitting on the ground next Vex but not reaching out to her until she got an answer from him.

When she received a curt nod from him, she took one of Vex's hands in her own, tracing the lines on her palm with one finger.

When she was a little girl her father taught her that when healing someone it should be done so with love. That it was important to not only push a healing energy, but also images of things important to the individual being healed, to show them what they had to fight for, to live for.

Her father didn't believe a person living or dying was up to the Gods, but up to the person themselves. He believe that the person, their soul had to fight to come back to this world and it was a belief he passed down to Keyleth.

Keyleth reached up and cradled the back of Vex's head, holding it up right. She leaned in to Vex's ear.

“Don’t go. Not when…. Not when I just found the courage to tell you how I feel. Vex'ahlia, please come back to us, to  _ me. _ ” Keyleth closed her eyes, focusing on a healing energy. “Fight, Vex. Don't stop fighting.”

She thought of Vax and Vex just this morning, sitting in the trees while Vax braided Vex's hair, the two of them laughing and joking, happy. She thought of Vex and Trinket curled up together at night to keep warm, of them during the pie eating contest.

She thought of Vex and Grog drinking ale together, Vex and Scanlan laughing together at some joke, Vex and Pike during one of their girls night, Vex and Percy discussing potential arrow modifications.

She thought of Vex in the trees, bow in hand and brows drawn together in concentration, looking deadly yet so breathtaking. She thought of the feelings she felt when Vex hugged her or smiled at her. She thought of that warm feeling she got when she thought of Vex. She thought of love, of her love for Vex.

“Come back to us.” She sealed the words and images with a kiss to her cheek and backed away to allow Vax to take her in his arms once more.

“Take me. Take me instead you raven bitch.”

* * *

Keyleth found Vax at the edge of the lake in almost the same spot she'd been at the night before. Only he wasn't hugging himself, though his shoulders were slumped, his head bowed and he seemed to be shaking.

Things happened in a whirlwind after Vex had been brought back. They collected everything they could from the Raven Queen's champion and got out of the tomb as fast as possible, leaving little room for Keyleth to check on both of the twins.

Vax had seemed more withdrawn than usual. He avoided being alone with anyone, especially Vex and it worried Keyleth.

She opened her mouth to call out to him, but decided against it. Instead she walked up next to him and wrapped her arm around him, pulling into a slightly awkward side hug, half expecting him to pull away but he doesn't.

She wanted to ask what happened back in the tomb during the ritual. She wanted to ask what exactly he'd given the Raven Queen in exchange for Vex's life. She wanted to thank him for saving Vex, for bringing her back, but she didn't. He wasn't likely to answer any of those questions anyways and he probably wouldn't react too well to her thanking him.

She doesn't ask him anything. She just stood there, holding him to her side and staring out at the cloudless night sky. She wouldn't bring anything up, wouldn't say anything until he did. She'd just hug him for as long as he allowed.

Keyleth lost track of how long they stood there in silence, Vax leaning all this weight on her as if he was too emotionally and physically exhausted to hold himself upright. And even though Keyleth wasn't the strongest of their group, she shouldered his weight with ease.

“What did I do, Kiki?” He asked, his voice sounded small and so unlike the man she considered her best friend and her heart ached for him.

Keyleth took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out. Giving herself a few seconds to think about her answer.

Truth be told, she had no idea what Vax had done. At first she thought he traded his life for his sister's, but he was still standing here, alive and well. Maybe he had promised the Raven Queen his servitude or devotion, but wouldn't he have known if he did?

The only thing Keyleth knew for sure was that he saved Vex's life, everything else they'd figure out in time, together.

“You did what you always do, Vax. You saved your sister’s life with no hesitation, with no thought to what it would cost you. You saved her,” Keyleth said softly. “I told myself I wouldn’t thank you for doing so, but Vax-”

Vax stepped out of her embrace, holding his hand up and effectively stopping her from thanking him.

“If you want to thank me then go tell Vex how you feel. We’ve been given a second,  _ you  _ have been given a second chance with her and you better not waste it.” With that Vax turned on his heels and walked away from her, heading away from camp.

Keyleth watched him go until he disappeared in the darkness before turning towards camp, easily spotting Vex sitting against Trinket and talking with Zahra and Grog as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn’t died and been brought back.

Vex threw her head back, laughing at something Zahra had said and Keyleth could just hear the heavenly sound. Down in that tomb, she had been sure she’d never hear the sound of Vex’s laughter again, never be graced with Vex’s smile or a wink.

She’d been so sure she lost Vex and that scared her so much more than Vex not returning her feeling, then there being some awkwardness within the group.

Vax was right. She’d been given a second chance and she wasn’t going to waste it.

Squaring her shoulders and taking a deep calming breath to slow her racing heart, Keyleth walked towards Vex with purpose, hiding her shaking hands behind her back.

Vex looked up at her approach, a slow smile stretching across her face that Keyleth couldn’t help but return. Vex’s smile seemed to widen at that, her hazel eyes lighting up when Keyleth held her hand out.

“Can I speak to you a moment, Vex? In private?” Keyleth’s voice shook and if anyone noticed they didn’t show it.

Instead of answering, Vex took Keyleth’s hand allowing Keyleth to pull her up off the log she was sitting on. Before Keyleth could let go of her hand, Vex intertwined their fingers and led Keyleth back towards the lake, far from ear shot of everyone else.

Keyleth ducked her head, heat rising in her cheeks and a tingling sensation emitting from where Vex’s thumb rubbed small, slow circles on the back of her hand. Keyleth took a shuddering breath when they stopped walking and Vex turned to her, face illuminated by the moonlight.

She looked like a Goddess if Keyleth had ever seen one and for a moment all Keyleth could do was stare at her in awe.

She wanted to reach out and touch her, trace the curve of her jaw, caress her cheek. She wanted to draw Vex into a kiss even though she was inexperienced and hardly knew how to. Gods, she wanted to kiss Vex, to take Vex into her arms and feel those lips against her own.

“Keyleth.” Vex brought Keyleth from her thoughts, causing her to blush harder when she realized she’d been staring.

She expected to see Vex smirking at her the way she did when she caught men looking at her, but there was no smirk. Only a soft smile as she patiently waited for Keyleth to say something.

“I uh, I have to get something off my chest. I-I  have to tell you because you died and this may be my only chance, I have to tell you, because I promised Vax I would, because you deserve to know.” Keyleth let go of Vex’s hand and rung her hands together, looking down at her feet. “You deserve to know how amazing you are, how extraordinary you are, ho-”

Keyleth's words dropped off when Vex reached out and brushed the back of her fingers along ever reddening cheeks. Keyleth's eyes closed on their own accord and she leaned into Vex's touch, letting out a barely audible sigh.

“Darling.”

It wasn't the first time Vex had ever called her Darling, she did it quite often actually, but that was the first time she had ever said it like  _ that _ .

There was such softness to Vex's soothing voice, such fondness that somehow sent Keyleth's heart racing and made it melt all at the same time. That made her feel like she was falling and soaring all at once.

The fingers that had been brushing along her cheeks stopped their moment and shifted until Vex's hands were cupping her face, thumbs brushing her cheekbones.

Keyleth's eyes fluttered open in time to see Vex stand up on her tippy toes and wet her lips before she leaned in and kissed Keyleth tenderly.

It was a brief kiss, nothing more than a simple touch of their lips, but those few second felt like a lifetime to Keyleth. And that brief kiss had been better than her kiss with Vax, with Kashaw.

In those few seconds Keyleth knew she never wanted to kiss another pair of lips. She knew she only wanted to kiss Vex for the rest of her life, for as long as Vex would allow.

Keyleth's eye fluttered open and saw Vex hovering so close, eyes still closed, hands still cupping Keyleth's face and her lips turned up in the tiniest of smiles.

And she smiled as well before the realization that Vex had kissed her,  _ kissed her  _ hit her square in the chest, knocking the breath out of her.

Vex'ahlia kissed her. Vex’ahlia who was beautiful and fearless, so put together and so marvelous had kissed her. Plain and awkward Keyleth who was so unsure of herself and her actions. Vex’ahlia wh-.

“Darling, stop overthinking this and kiss me, please.”

Keyleth's already warm cheeks grew hotter and she nodded at Vex, not trusting her voice. With trembling fingers Keyleth reached out and brushed the tips of her fingers against Vex's cheek, marveling at how soft her skin was.

Vex let out a sigh, so soft that Keyleth barely caught it. She leaned into Keyleth's touch and seemed to just melt, all the tension she usually walked around with every day fading away.

For the first time in a long time Vex looked completely at ease, relaxed and it was because of  _ her _ , because of her touch.

She brushed a few strands of hair that escaped Vex’s braid behind her ear, relishing in the shuddering breath Vex let out, in the way Vex’s arm came up and wrapped around her neck, pulling them closer together.

Keyleth had dreamt of this moment, imagined this moment a thousand times, but none of those daydreams could compare to the real thing. Nothing could compare to the feeling on having Vex so close, to the feel of her lips upon her own.

_ “Keyleth,”  _ Vex said, her voice so close to a whine, so unlike Vex.

“Sorry. I’m sorry, you’re just s-so beautiful and I can’t… I can’t believe this is happening.”

Vex’s eyes opened at her confession. The soft look on her face getting impossibly softer and for the first time since Keyleth had known her, Vex blushed. Vex’s fingers tangled in the hairs at the nape of Keyleth’s neck, using that grip to pull her taller frame down for another kiss.

* * *

Vax watched the scene unfold hidden in the shadows from the couple, a smile tugging at his lips, ignoring the sounds of footsteps approaching from behind.

He didn’t turn when someone stopped beside him, taking in the Keyleth and Vex standing by the lake, foreheads pressed together and holding each other tightly, lips moving in words they could not hear.

“I never stood a chance, did I?”

Vax turned to look at Kashaw and simply shook his head. “Neither of us did.”

“I saw it in the tomb. Her love for Vex.” Kashaw chuckled under his breath, though his features betrayed his sadness.“Vex, I can lose to. You? Not so much.”

Vax threw his arm around Kashaw’s shoulder, turning them around and leading them back towards the others. Leaving Keyleth and his sister alone.

“I can lose to her too.”


End file.
